Political game



Feb. 13, 1968 P. J. MILAZZO ET AL 3,368,816

POLITICAL GAME T Filed Dec. 31, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l4 l4 V I i I Zw lo .183! z:- v s a v u v :v .21 2g v I NEJlVdWVO '5'; j;

GAME g g OF AMERICAN POLITICS POLITICAL FORTUNE 26 I6 22 POLITICAL (4 FORTUNE b 8 POLITICAL 4 FORTUNE KAUAI 9 MOLOKAI NUHAU MAUT e 52 pourlcm. 9 8 -|4 FORTUNE 4 w a l IO-/ RESIIQN 3; 3g sTART 4 4 l2 l4 a a e s 40 5'; e 5 3 I0 POLITICA 8 E o E men FORTUNE 1 l REST POLITICAL FORTUNE FAVOURITE sou OF KENTUCKY INVENTORS Poul-J. Milazzo POLITICAL FORTUN E YOUR RECENT TV. DEBATE HAS GAINED YOU THE VOTES OF CALIFORNIA James G. Lynch8 ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1968 P. J. MILAZZO ET AL 3,368,816

POLITICAL GAME Filed Dec. 31, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORYS I Paul J. Miluzzo 1 James G.Lynch 8 Joseph Dormudy ATTORNEY fimaz United States Patent 3,368,816 PQLITICAL GAME Paul J. Miiazzo, 83 Russell Road, Garden City, N.Y. 11530, and James G. Lynch, 7 Ehler St., and Joseph Dormady, Ehler St., both of Brentwood, N.Y. 11717 Filed Dec. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 422,770 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A competitive presidential election game comprising a playing board having its periphery divided into a plurality of State zones, a plurality of electoral commitment cards, each of the latter being in one-to-one correspondence with a respective State zone, each State zone being color designated and bearing an indicium indicative of the number of electoral college votes allocated to said state, said electoral commitment cards being each provided with a different state name and a color designation corresponding with the name and color designation of a respective State zone.

This invention relates to a game and more particularly to an educational game played on a board with movable pieces in association with said board.

More specifically, the present game is directed to American politics and enables the players thereof to compete for the Presidency of the United States through involvement in a presidential political campaign and in so doing to increase their appreciation and knowledge of the importance and implications of the electoral college system and the vote apportionment connected therewith.

Accordingly, and in consonance with the foregoing, the primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a game which will improve a players knowledge of American politics so that he may better understand the vital significance concerning the populations of the various States, the regional locations of the States, and some of the factors which frequently influence the political fortunes of a candidate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a political game which includes correspondence between State playing zones and a political map and which further relates State commitment cards to both the State playing zones and the map.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game which is effective as an educational means for imparting geographical knowledge to the players.

Another general object of the present invention is to provide a game of the described character that is colorful, easy to play and inexpensive to produce.

Other objects and advantages of the instant political game will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom. or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the structure defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the playing board showing a plurality of playing zones;

FIGURE 2 shows the plan view of six examples of electoral commitment cards included in the invention, there being fifty-one, i.e., one for each State and the District of Columbia;

FIGURE 3 shows the plan view of two political fortune cards, the printing thereon and the number of such cards utilized with the invention being arbitrary, the two cards shown being for purposes of illustration and example;

FIGURE 4 shows several overlay pieces, the pieces shown being exemplary of the fifty-one pieces utilized, said pieces being congruous with the State boundaries provided on the map shown in FIGURE 1 and adapted for superposition with respect to said boundaries as illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 shows a move selection device comprised of a pair of dice; and

FIGURE 6 shows a pair of exemplary playing pieces designed in the motif of a political campaign.

The numebr of States, of votes, etc., which are disclosed herein may vary from time to time and therefore are not to be considered a restriction on the elements of the invention or the mode of operation thereof.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, it will be observed in FIGURE 1 that the periphery 2 of playing board 1 is divided into a plurality of playing zones generally identified by numeral 4. One of these playing zones 6 is more particularly used as either the starting position or as a campaign-rest Zone as designated in FIGURE 1. Certain of the zones identified as 8 will be referred to as political fortune zones. Certain of the zones identified as 10 serve, according to the option of the player, as a campaign-rest or political fortune zone. Zone 12, as illustrated, is a campaign-rest zone. The remaining playing zones, which number fifty-one in total and are designated by numeral 14 represent the fifty-one State zones including the District of Columbia. As will 'be noted, each State zone includes the name of the State, said State zones being arranged in clockwise alphabetical order beginning with Alabama and ending with Wyoming. A map of the United States generally designated by numeral 16 is disposed substantially centrally of said playing board 1, the boundaries of each State individually shown thereon being outlined as will be seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. As will be further observed the map is divided into regional sections, the latter being respectively differently colored whereby the northestern section 18 is gray, the South Atlantic section 20 is orange, the north central section 22 is green, the south central section 24 is red, the mountain section 26 is yellow, and the Pacific section 28 including Alaska and Hawaii is blue. Thus, each of the States outlined on the map is color designated in accordance with the color of the regional section within which it lies. Also, as shown, the number representing the electoral college votes of each state is designated on the respective States outlined on said map. Thus, e.g., Texas indicated by numeral 30 and which is within the south central regional section 24 is red in color and is imprinted with the numeral twenty-five, the latter being the number of electoral college votes allocated to Texas.

Each state zone 14 is color designated in correspondance with the color designation of the respective regional section of the United States in which it is located. Thus, e.g., state zone 32 which is Texas has a red color designation thereon to thereby correspond with the red colored regional section 24 within which Texas lies on map 16. Each state zone is further provided with a numerical indicium, said indicium being designative of the number of electoral college votes allocated to said state as determined by the number of Senators and Representatives thereof. The numerical indicium appearing on each state zone is, as shown, in correspondence with the number appearing on the respective state as outlined on said map. Hence, Texas 30, e.g., outlined on said map and state zone 32 representing Texas, each have the number twenty-five appearing thereon.

With reference now to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, electrical commitment cards 34- are shown, the cards shown being, however, examples of such cards, it being understood that fifty-one such cards are actually employed when playing the game. That is to say, each of the electoral commitment cards, consisting of the six shown together with the remaining forty-five cards including the District of Columbia card (not shown), is provided with a respective state name or the name District of Columbia, and is further provided with a color marking corresponding to the color designation of the regional section within which it appears on said map. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that each electoral commitment card 34 is in one-to-one correspondence with a respective state zone, the latter as aforedescribed being also provided with a particular color designation and state name. Also, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the electrical commitment cards are provided with outlines of the respective states to assist in the identification thereof and to facilitate the educational object of the invention. Thus, the electoral commitment cards shown for New York, Washington, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, and Utah, each have the respective State outlined thereon and are color-marked gray, blue, orange, green, red and yellow, respectively, The color marking of the New York electoral commitment card, e.g., is gray as designated by numeral 36 in said FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

The political fortune cards illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings are examples only of the many cards utilized cooperatively with the aforedescribed members of the invention. As will appear in said FIGURE 3, the said cards are adapted to influence the outcome of the presidential election by dint of the printed matter contained thereon. A card will be drawn by a player in accordance with the below described rules of play when a playing piece, also to be described, lands on a political fortune zone provided on the playing board.

The playing pieces illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings and designated by numeral 40 are adapted to be placed in the playing zones by the players, respectively, during the course of playing the game. As shown, the playing pieces may be fashioned in a motif compatible with the presidential election, to wit, the proverbial elephant and donkey.

The dice 42 illustrated in FIGURE represent a move selection device adapted to determine the playing zone to which a player is to advance his playing piece. Spinnable pointers or other suitable move selection devices are within the contemplation of the present invention.

The overlay pieces 44 illustrated in FIGURE 4 are each respectively congruous of configuration with respect to a corresponding state outlined on said map 16, said overlay pieces being each adapted for superposed placement with respect to a respective state outline provided on said map. Overlay pieces 46, 48 and 50 which particularly represent the silhouettes of Washington, Utah and New York State, respectively, are shown superposedly positioned upon map 16 in FIGURE 1. It will be understood that the instant invention includes an overlay piece for each State and the District of Columbia, the pieces illustrated in the accompanying drawings being illustrative thereof.

Rules of play Each player or candidate in turn rolls the dice, moves the appropriate number of spaces and wins the electoral votes of the state zone in which he lands. He is presented with the electoral commitment card of that State, the corresponding overlay piece may be superposed over the State on the map to indicate at a glance the State which has become committed, and the electoral vote are added to his score. Each time a player rolls a double, i.e., 3--3, 4--4, etc., he is entitled to an additional turn with the dice.

If a candidate lands on a political fortune zone, he must draw a political fortune card. If a political fortune card causes the loss of a specific States electoral votes, it only applies to the player if he already has that States electoral votes in his political camp. If the political fortune card causes the player to win a States electoral votes, he may win them even though another player has them. That is, the other player transfers the States electoral commitment card to the first player and deducts the votes from his score. If a political fortune card states that the player is the favorite son of a certain State, he keeps that State for the entire game. It cannot be challenged.

If a candidate acquires a majority of the States within a section of the country, he acquires the entire regional section. Any player who presently holds any of these States within that regional section must forfeit them and reduce his score.

Once a player has acquired a regional section, it is closed and he cannot be challenged for any 'State within that section except through a political fortune card. If a political fortune card frees an individual State, that tate remains open for the entire game and may be challenged. If, however, a political fortune card frees an en tire section, that section can again be won by obtaining a majority. The legend 52 provided on the board 1 indicates the majorities required in each section.

If a candidate lands in a State which has already been won by an opponent, he may pass the dice to the next player or he may challenge for it unless another player is a favorite son of that State or that State is within a regional section in which a majority of the States has been won by another player.

A challenge is made as follows: Where, e.g., a first candidate has Vermont and the other candidate lands in Vermont, said other candidate first announces his intent to challenge and rolls the dice. If he rolls 2 through 6 he wins Vermont, which is a northeastern State. If he rolls 7 through 12, he loses, which results in said first candidate picking any State from said other candidate from that section in which the challenge State of Vermont is located, i.e., the northeastern section.

If a candidate lands in a combined campaign-rest and political fortune corner 10, he may either pass the dice to the next player or draw a political fortune card.

The players continue around the board until one candidate accumulates 270 electoral votes to become President of the United States.

Obviously, many changes may be made in the rules, the foregoing rules being preferred but not exclusive of the variations thereof which may be adopted. Alternate rules, e.g., may be utilized where certain elements of the game may be set aside in playing the variation. In that respect, the political fortune cards, e.g., may be set aside.

Thus, although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the forms, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A competitive presidential election game adapted to increase the players appreciation and knowledge of American politics which comprises in combination a playing board having its periphery divided into a plurality of playing zones including a zone selectively serving as the starting position or as a campaign-rest zone, several political fortune zones, two zones each selectively serving as a campaign-rest or political fortune zone, said two zones being diagonally opposed to one another and respectively spaced an equal number of zones from said zone selectively serving as the starting position or as a campaign-rest zone, a campaign-rest zone, and fifty-one State zones including the District of Columbia arranged in alphabetical order, each state zone being color designated, a numerical indicium on each State zone, said indicium being designative of the number of electoral college votes allocated to said State, a map of the United States disposed centrally of said playing board, the boundaries of each State being outlined on said map, the northeastern, South Atlantic, north central, south central, mountain and Pacific regional sections of the country being difierently color designated and the number representing the electoral college votes of each State being respectively designated on the States outlined on said map, the color designation and numerical indicium of each State zone being in correspondence with the color designation and number corresponding to a respective State outlined on said map, a legend located adjacently of said map and upon the gameboard, said legend including the colors designative of each said regional section, the total number of States within each said regional section, and the total number of electoral votes comprising each regional section being indicated by said legend, fifty-one electoral commitment cards, each of the latter being in correspondence with a respective State zone, a plurality of political fortune cards, a plurality of playing pieces, said pieces being fashioned in a motif compatible with the presidential election, and a move selection device adapted to determine the playing zone to which a player is to advance, said electoral commitment cards being each provided with a respective State name, a color designation corresponding with the color of the regional section in which that State is included on said map, and the boundary outline of said State as it appears on said map, said political fortune cards being each provided with play directives adapted to influence the outcome of the presidential election.

2. A competitive presidential election game adapted to increase the players appreciation and knowledge of American politics which comprises in combination a playing board having its periphery divided into a plurality of playing zones including a starting zone, a campaign-rest zone, several political fortune zones, two zones each selectively serving as a campaign-rest or political fortune zone, and state zones arranged in alpabetical order about the periphery of the game board, said two zones being diagonally opposed to one another and equally spaced with respect to said starting zone, a map of the United States disposed centrally of said playing board, the boundaries of each State being outlined on said map, the northeastern, South Atlantic, north central, south central, mountain and Pacific regional sections of the country being respectively segregated by being differently color designated on said map, each State zone being color designated in correspondence with the color designation of the respective regional section of the United States in which it is located, a numerical indicium on each State zone, said indicium being designative of the number of electoral college votes allocated to said state, the number representing the electoral college votes of each state being respectively designated on the states outlined on said map, the numerical indicium of each State zone being in correspondence with the number of a respective state outlined on said map, electoral commitment cards, each of the latter being in one-to-one correspondence with a respective State zone, a plurality of political fortune cards, a plurality of playing pieces, one said piece being shaped like a donkey and another piece being shaped like an elephant and a move selection device adapted to determine the playing zone to which a player is to advance, said electoral commitment cards being each provided with a ditferent state name and a color designation corresponding with the color of the regional section within which it is included on said map, said political fortune cards being each provided with play directives adapted to influence the outcome of the presidential election.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 129,104 8/1941 Kutscher 273-134 690,273 12/1901 Hambrick t273134 753,949 3/ 1904 Wing.

1,102,594 7/1914 Kiefer 273-131 1,770,101 7/1930 Dougherty 273 1,907,255 5/1933 Ferrari 273 2,043,482 6/1936 Lord 273-135 2,717,157 9/1955 Dylewski 273134 2,930,621 3/1960 Gross et a1. 273-134 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

